The field of the invention generally relates to refrigerators, and more particularly relates to a door for a compartment that is maintained at a temperature slightly lower than the rest of the fresh food chamber.
As is well known, the fresh food storage section or chamber of a refrigerator is typically maintained in the range 35.degree. F.-40.degree. F. It is also well known that many prefer to store certain items such as beverages at a slightly lower temperature such as, for example, in the range 32.degree. F.-35.degree. F. Accordingly, some prior art refrigerators have a so-called chiller compartment within the fresh food chamber, and the chiller compartment is maintained at a slightly lower temperature. A desirable location for such a chiller compartment is within the refrigerator door of a side-by-side refrigerator/freezer because such location provides quick and easy access to the items stored in the chiller compartment.
One such chiller compartment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,347. In the refrigerator described therein, cold air is channeled from the evaporator through a duct within the partition between the refrigerator and freezer, and is directed through a void in the side of the chiller compartment that is located in the main refrigerator door. The chiller compartment can be accessed through a small hinged door in the main refrigerator door so that items can be loaded into or retrieved from the chiller compartment without opening the main refrigerator door. The chiller compartment can also be accessed from inside when the main refrigerator door is open, and an inner door is provided to isolate the chiller compartment so that the chiller compartment can be maintained at a temperature slightly lower than the rest of the fresh food chamber. Such inner door has a top hinge and the door is swung upwardly from the bottom. A disadvantage of such arrangement is that the door will not stay open on its own so the operator needs two hands to load or retrieve an item such as a milk container. That is, one hand is generally required to hold the inner door open while the milk container is moved with the other hand. Further, if the inner door were provided with a stop that held the inner door open without operator assistance, the inner door could be broken or damaged if the main refrigerator door were closed and the inner door was inadvertently left open.